Mayor of Cuautla, Morelos, linked to organized crime, faces pre-trial detention

Jesús Corona Damián, the mayor of Cuautla, Morelos, faces legal proceedings after being linked to a process for alleged involvement in organized crime and extortion. The Attorney General's Office (FGR) announced it had presented sufficient evidence to the court, which upheld the precautionary measure of preventive detention.

The judge ordered Corona Damián to remain at the Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 11 in Sonora to undergo his criminal process. He was initially arrested on May 30 in Acapulco, Guerrero, during a surveillance operation. Authorities also seized a handgun at the time of his capture.

The FGR accuses the mayor of being part of a network of municipal presidents engaged in extortion and money laundering in the eastern part of Morelos state. He is alleged to have collaborated with Júpiter Araujo, known as 'El Barbas,' identified as a key operator for the Sinaloa Cartel in the region.

This development is part of 'Operativo Enjambre,' a national strategy against extortion. Investigations into municipal officials in Morelos have been ongoing since February 2025, following reports and video evidence of meetings between officials, including Corona Damián, and 'El Barbas.' The FGR emphasizes that Corona Damián is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent judicial authority.